The Only Mystery Worth Solving
by DoctorSchmosby
Summary: Set between Nightmare in Silver and The Name of the Doctor. For the first time in centuries, the Doctor struggles to discover, and subsequently adapt to, feelings of love. An uneasy, gradual journey from friendship to romance.
1. Chapter One: Homecoming

**Hello! Thanks a bunch for clicking on this story - my attempt to indulge my recent fascination with Eleven/Clara fanfiction. Oh... but I don't want to put it like that, it makes this chapter sound like just a fling! In actuality, I've got four chapters worth of ideas buzzing around in my head, chapters that I fully intend to write. Unfortunately, due to exam season and... never committing to anything ever, this may take a while. But I simply adore Doctor Who, the Eleventh Doctor, Clara Oswald and writing, so dammit, this story shall be written!**

** A bit about the mostly-yet-to-exist story, then. This is my attempt to write the story of how a Doctor/Clara romance would develop while staying as true as possible to the characters. Going off particularly the Doctor's reaction to Clara's flirting in The Bells of Saint John, I figure that, however much I/we love it, the romance would take a long time to actually happen. Especially for the Doctor, a man who has seen many terrible things and lost many precious relationships, opening up in this way would be a very difficult and emotional journey. This is the story of the journey. I can't promise I'll be able to match the quality incredible stories already on here - the magical cuteness of 'A Souffle and the Odd Kiss' and the irresistible sauciness of 'Remember Me' spring to mind - but I can promise some surprising guests who will help the Doctor on his quest for true love!**

.**..oh yeah, none of that really comes across in this chapter. In fact, this chapter is essentially a prequel. Oops. :/**

**But when finished, what I hope this story will represent is a gradual journey from friends to significant others for the Doctor and Clara - the means grounded in realism but the ends indulgent in fantasy. Sprinkled with humor - perhaps even some fluff and angst along the way - and above all (an attempt to be) faithful to the great, great characters of the best show in the universe. Endless thanks for reading this waffle and the story, and please enjoy 'The Only Mystery Worth Solving'!**

* * *

**Chapter One: Homecoming**

"Well?"

The smile on Clara Oswald's lips became lax, and she turned to gaze thoughtfully at the central column of the TARDIS. Did she want to move on board the ship indefinitely, and commit to travelling the stars with this madman in his box? There was her family to consider, and all the other people on Earth she cared about too much to run out on. But then, the Doctor too had already become someone she cared about, and it was clear he cared a lot for her. And as a thousand-year old being who apparently owned nothing of sentimental value but his flashy screwdriver, perhaps he needed her around more than the Maitland's did.

She turned back to meet the Doctor's anxious eyes, and allowed a wide grin to grow across her face. "You're on, chin. As long as you turn the heating up!"

The Doctor released the breath he didn't realise he'd been holding, and straightened his bow tie triumphantly. "Great!" he exclaimed. "Hunky dory!" He flashed Clara a smile, and bounded around the console with almost childlike happiness, until he remembered there was more to her answer. "Oh… yes, I'll start looking for the heating doodad", he bluffed, gesturing to a mess of levers on the console to hide the fact he didn't have one. "In the meantime, wardrobe's through that door, to the left, just a little ways past the library. If you reach the ball pit, you've gone too far".

Clara, amused at the display of joy that had burst forth from her mysterious new friend, seized the opportunity to tease him. "Don't wag your tail too hard Doctor, I'm not so easy", she smirked; skipping off before she could be refuted.

Now alone with his thoughts, the Doctor considered the advantages of Clara joining him on the TARDIS full-time. For one thing, he'd now never be without her company, something he had to admit he cared very much for. And from now on, she was truly under his protection. Travelling in the TARDIS was sure to be dangerous, but the Doctor understood the stakes - he knew what losing a third Clara would do to him, and he simply wasn't going to let it happen.

Most importantly, this now meant he could commit all his time to solving the mystery of the impossible woman. No more distractions, not another focus until he resolved the big unanswered question in his life, until he discovered how Clara could exist in three places at once. Having Clara on board with him should be an advantage to that end, he figured, even if it meant he now had to be more discreet. Good thing humans had to sleep a lot longer than he did.

The Doctor's train of thought was halted by Clara, who had returned clad in a red Punkyfish hoodie, one that he quickly recognised. "This'll do", she stated approvingly as she made her way over to the console, next to the suddenly sullen Time Lord. "It's warm, and I quite like it! Don't you?" She nudged him intently when he took more than a moment to respond.

"Yes… I always did", the Doctor reminisced, barely able to look at it. "It belonged to a friend of mine from some time ago. Didn't know it was still around…"

Clara's cheerful expression barely changed, though she couldn't say she enjoyed the reference to one of the Doctor's previous female friends. "Oh", she expressed summarily. "Was she nice?"

"Yes", the Doctor replied, managing a smile. "She really was".

"Was she around for long?" Clara asked, sliding herself closer to the Doctor.

"Yes… I suppose it was a while, yeah".

"Good snog?"

The last question was enough to snap the Doctor out of the half-daydream he was in as he took an uncomfortable step back from his companion. "Clara, please!" he responded sheepishly, a sad, light blush in his cheeks. "I don't really want to talk about it".

The cheeky grin on Clara's face faded into a rare serious expression, her insecure side taking over as she again closed the distance between herself and the Doctor. "Okay, but answer me this", she told him, delicately turning his head to make his eyes meet hers. "Am I just here to fill a void?"

The look on the Doctor's face changed from discomfort to sadness to kindness. "No, you're not" he said truthfully, keeping her gaze while taking one of her hands in his own. "We talked about this; you're not here to replace anyone. You're unique".

Clara stared intently at the Doctor, not lacking in trust but still struggling to believe him. "But you're over a thousand years old, you've probably met billions of people", she mused. "How can I believe that?"

"Because I'm over a thousand years old, and I've met billions of people", he answered without a second thought, his eyes showing conviction. "And when I tell someone they're unique - when I tell you you're special, Clara Oswald – that means a hell of a lot".

Touched, and no longer doubting either the Doctor's reasoning or his honesty, Clara once again found her usual beaming smile. "Glad to hear it. You're not so bad yourself", she told him, playfully bopping his chin with her free hand. She couldn't imagine why he seemed so fond of her after only a short time together, but she certainly wasn't complaining. In fact, she quite enjoyed being in the company of a man so friendly, so affectionate and embracing. She had a feeling that maybe; just maybe, her time with him would be the happiest of her life so far.

"Now, take me to my room", she started, dragging the Doctor across the console room. "But don't get any ideas", she added with a wink.

The Doctor simply smiled in response to her flirting. "_Yes, you're special, Clara Oswald_", he thought to himself. _And I'm going to find out why_".

_-Next Chapter: The Suggestion-_


	2. Chapter Two: The Suggestion

**Chapter Two: The Suggestion**

[_Six months later_]

"You're special, Clara Oswald", the Doctor blurted out to himself. "But I have no idea why!"

It had been months since Clara had joined him in the TARDIS, but despite his best efforts, the Doctor was no closer to solving her mystery. True to his word, he had worked on it most nights, using a new monitor on the TARDIS console, even if the TARDIS herself was uncooperative for some reason. Regardless, he had spent hour upon hour, night after night pooling together details, looking for patterns, and reconciling the data with his knowledge of the universe in the hopes of explaining her gift. But still, there was nothing. Clara was simply impossible.

"She's impossible", the Doctor concluded loudly, his face twisted with the frustration of a mystery unsolved. "That's it! I'm giving up".

As he rested his head reluctantly beside the monitor he had worked dutifully on for months, he saw new text appear in the corner of his eye. Befuddled, the Doctor picked himself up and read the new message, recoiling when he realised its origin.

"DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY, THIEF?

The Doctor simply stared, struggling with the relatively foreign concept of speechless-ness as he puzzled over a response. "Yes", he squeaked at last. "Yes, I'm giving up. It's the right thing to do - she's beyond me, and I can't spend the rest of my days obsessing over something this impossible".

A reply swiftly appeared on the monitor. "THAT'S MORE FOR YOUR BENEFIT THAN MINE, ISN'T IT?"

"Of course it is, I _hate_ unsolved mysteries", the Doctor grumbled. "Speaking of which, I got this monitor put in months back, why are you only talking to me now?"

"I CAN USUALLY SLEEP WHILE YOU STALK THIS WOMAN, BUT YOUR RANTING AND RAVING IS MAKING SLEEP PERFECTLY IMPOSSIBLE TONIGHT".

"I am not stalking Clara!" he insisted, unable to tell if the TARDIS was serious or not since she couldn't convey tone. "I was just studying an extraordinary occurrence that she happened to be the focus of. Okay with that, are you?"

"WHATEVER. I ASSUME THIS MEANS I CAN TAKE HER HOME NOW, YES? I DIDN'T MUCH CARE FOR HER ANYWAY".

"Sorry, what? Of course we're not taking her home", the Doctor argued, clearly horrified at the idea.

"BUT YOU JUST SAID YOU'RE GIVING UP ON HER BIG MYSTERY".

"You don't have to rub it in… and that doesn't mean we're kicking her out".

"PLEASE?"

"No!"

"WHY NOT?"

"Because I l-"

The Doctor clasped his hand over his mouth before he could go any further, his brows slanted in disbelief at what he was perhaps about to say. Taking a moment to compose himself, he forced his eyes back on the monitor, which had already been updated.

"…GO ON. BECAUSE YOU WHAT?"

The Time Lord gulped and openly flustered a little, as if his questioner was unable to see him. "Because I'm rather quite fond of her, a little bit. And frankly, I think you should be nicer to her", he bluffed, changing the subject as he quietly tried to explain to himself why a certain word was on the tip of his tongue seconds ago.

"THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WERE ABOUT TO SAY".

"I didn't mean what I was about to say" he refuted, quickly but somehow not quite sincerely.

"THIS IS RICH. YOU ACTUALLY LOVE HER. WELL… SHE REALLY IS THE IMPOSSIBLE WOMAN, ISN'T SHE?"

The Doctor grew a determined, if awkward look on his face and trained it on the monitor. "Fine, if you insist. I suppose I do love Clara, the same way I love fezzes, or- or Telos after a storm. Y'know, in that way. As a friend".

"NO, NOT IN THAT WAY. YOU FORGET, MY DEAR, THAT I'M IN YOUR HEAD, AND I HAVE BEEN FOR CENTURIES. YOU'VE BEEN SO FASCINATED WITH THIS WOMAN ALL THIS TIME THAT YOU'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND HER MORE THAN ANY OF THE STRAYS YOU'VE BROUGHT IN OVER THE YEARS. YOU KNOW EVERY LAST THING ABOUT HER, AND THERE'S NOT ONE THING YOU'D CHANGE. IS THERE?"

Unable to decisively disprove the TARDIS's theory or the assertion that she had access to his mind, the Doctor once again delayed in his response. "I could probably do without the flirting…", he muttered without really thinking about it.

"…YOU'RE AN IDIOT", replied the TARDIS, quicker than ever.

The insult seemed to restore the Doctor's vigor. "No, look – this can't happen", he argued, starting to pace nervously. "Even if I was, I couldn't be in love with Clara, or anyone. I'm an emotionally crippled immortal Time Lord, and there aren't any of those left – only beings, only lives that'll wither and die".

"BUT YOU'RE NOT LEAVING HER BEHIND"?

"Not for anything".

"THEN WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO ADMIT YOUR FEELINGS FOR HER AND BE HAPPY FOR THE TIME THAT SHE'S HERE, OR WOULD YOU RATHER KEEP THEM TO YOURSELF AND WATCH THAT HAPPINESS SLIP AWAY?"

The Doctor sighed, unusually spent from the discussion. "What a sentimental old thing you are", he noted. "I'm still not convinced that I love her".

"THAT SETTLES IT, THEN. I KNOW YOU BETTER THAN YOU DO".

No longer willing to argue, the Doctor stroked the console of his most faithful companion, who time and again had changed his philosophies in way he hadn't thought possible, often without even communicating with him. Here, she had done it again. He conceded.

"Okay", he started, somewhat shakily. "Alright, for argument's sake, let's say I'm in love with Clara. What do you suggest I do?"

"WELL, MY DEAR, TURNING AROUND MIGHT BE A GOOD START".

The Doctor obeyed with little hesitation, but what he saw made him practically jump out of his skin. Clara stood at the door in her nightie, her eyes unequivocally fixed on him. Her expression betrayed no emotion – the Doctor was a skilled reader of faces and near-professional reader of people, but Clara gave no sign of being neither happy nor sad, neither pleased nor angry.

"Well" she started, folding her arms. "You've got some explaining to do".

Speechless, the Doctor desperately turned back to the monitor for help.

"YOU HEARD HER. YOU'VE GOT A LOT TO FIGURE OUT. BETTER GET STARTED".

…

The Doctor promptly woke up, his head still resting on the console. Immediately, he scanned the room for signs that he had merely suffered a dream, inevitably finding the monitor to be full of his own work and the doorway Clara-free. He was truly relieved, until he realised that the butterflies in his stomach had followed him into the real world.

Begrudgingly, he dragged himself to Clara's room, and took a moment to watch her sleep. He replayed the entire dream in his head over and over until he was absolutely sure.

"Better get started", he echoed. He wandered back to the TARDIS console, and set the controls in motion.

_-Next Chapter: The Resistance-_


	3. Chapter Three: The Resistance

**Chapter Three: The Resistance**

In June 1893, the city of London suffered an infestation of utterly mischievous creatures, somewhat reminiscent of small humanoids but certainly extra-terrestrial in origin. The people knew to call on the Great Detective and her entourage to fix the problem, but on this occasion, by the time they made it to the scene, the crisis was over, already resolved by a man with 'extraordinary hair and a bow tie'. Madame Vastra couldn't help but smile. Such occasions were inconvenient, but at least the Doctor was back to doing what he did best. Thank heavens for that woman, Clara Oswin Oswald, who touched his hearts enough to make it happen.

The trio journeyed back to their headquarters at 13 Paternoster Row, where Vastra almost chided Strax for leaving the lights on _again_, but quickly thought better of it. Her companions followed as she urgently made her way into the drawing room, which was indeed bathed in the glow of a big blue box; its occupant sat sipping a cup of tea. Vastra and Jenny sighed in unison, while Strax offered a hasty, if somewhat reluctant, salute.

"I see you've been doing the place up a bit", the Doctor observed, breaking the ice. "I don't like it. Needs more Jammie Dodgers. I'll pop into the future and get some later, if you like."

"This house has enough anachronisms as it is, thank you", Vastra refuted. "Doctor, what are you doing here?"

"I need help kind of sort of urgently, why else?" he admitted. "Not that kind of help!" he quickly added as the trio began moving to the weapons room, causing Vastra and Jenny to turn around quizzically.

"So we don't need the swords?" Vastra asked in disbelief.

"Not even a little bit".

"And you and your friends aren't in mortal danger?" Jenny followed up.

"Mmm. It's a bit more severe than that, Jenny", he mused as the married couple took their spot on the sofa opposite him. "You remember that girl Clara Oswin Oswald from last Christmas? I found her again, and we've been travelling together for months, but it was recently pointed out to me by a reliable source that I may possibly have soft of… love-y-ish feelings for her".

The confession rendered Vastra and Jenny, who frequently dealt with the unlikely and even the impossible, speechless with their mouths gaping. As the Doctor's friends – not his best friends, but friends nonetheless – they were aware of the Doctor's scarce use of the word 'love', as well as the sheer amount of time since he actually felt it. They had witnessed him seal off his hearts to compassion months ago, but knew they were sealed off to love long before that. They appreciated how momentous the event was. It unfortunately fell to Strax, who had just re-entered the room carrying a box of grenades, to break the silence.

"Sir, that's disgusting!"

The Doctor was too focused on Vastra and Jenny to manage more than a small frown.

It was Vastra who found the courage to speak next. "So, you've come here to tell us to you... have feelings for this woman?"

"Apparently", the Doctor bluntly replied, the sternness in his face unusual for such a discussion.

The Silurian took a deep breath. "According to which 'reliable source', exactly?"

"My subconscious…" he admitted.

Having recovered from the shock, Jenny couldn't help but giggle at the concept of a thousand-year old being who was as worked up and clueless about love as a teenager. "And what do you want us to do about it?"

The Doctor sat up, half-dramatic, half-desperate. "I want you to help me get rid of them", he implored. "I can't have these sorts of feelings about a human being, no matter who it is End of. Simple as. Now tell me how to stop them".

"You wanted to stop being in love, so you thought it best to ask two married women", Vastra commented wryly.

"And a psychotic potato-head", the Doctor pointed out defensively, gesturing to the frowning Sontaran in the doorway. "Although, actually, all his ideas probably involve shooting Clara in the face..."

Strax appeared insulted. "That would be a terrible idea!" he spat. "The superior tactic for eliminating a human being is to aim for the heart! How could you be ignorant of that, sir?"

"Yes, I clearly lack your worldly wisdom Strax, you baked halfwit!" the Doctor answered. He didn't mean to raise his voice or be so rude – even to Strax – but the mental image of Clara being gunned down was absolutely more than he could bear. Flustered, he turned back to the amused Vastra and Jenny.

"Look, are you going to help me with this or not?"

"Not", both of them said quickly and unanimously.

Vastra took her wife's hand as she began to lecture the Doctor on how wrong his response to love was. "Frankly, I'm not surprised you have feelings with this woman, since it was her that brought you out of that dreadful retirement. Listen to me, you can't run away from this. You know how long it's been since you let an honest emotion like this into your hearts. It's something to cherish, especially for you".

The Doctor felt as if he was drowning in sentimentality. First the dream, now Vastra and Jenny - everyone seemed to be a romantic, but he couldn't be. Couldn't they see that?

"Yes, everything's alright for you two", the Doctor observed, the tiniest hint of envy in his voice, "but I'm a Time Lord, and Clara is going to end up dead long, long before I am, it's just not reasonable!"

Vastra expected him to play this card. "Spare me, Doctor. You know my species outlives humans for an average of 100 years", she reminded him, devoid of sadness or discomfort. "But instead of sulking about it, we cherish the time we have together, and I'll have the memories to keep me warm for the rest of my life". To make her point irrefutable, she shared a passionate kiss with Jenny.

He still wasn't convinced. "Ah-ahaaaa, but! What if, god forbid, I lose Clara before that happens, hm? You saw first-hand what it did to me last time. What if I was in love an-an-and doing that with Amy, all the, y'know". The Doctor attempted a kissy face to demonstrate, although he hadn't begun to speculate on if his apparent feelings for Clara stretched that far. "What happens then?"

"Haven't you been listening?" Jenny asked casually, hardly in danger of losing ground. "If that ever happened, you'd have so much more regret if you shut these feelings out than if you just let them happen".

With a sigh, the Doctor fell back in his seat. He was definitely starting to run out of arguments. Once again, it fell to Strax to break the silence.

"Do you require these grenades or not?!" he asked irritably.

"Strax?"

"Yessir?"

"Just… go sit in the corner, don't say anything, there's a good dwarf".

Strax muttered a few Sontaran expletives, gave up his box of grenades, and did as he was told.

"There's one thing we haven't actually settled yet", Jenny pointed out. "Are you properly in love with Clara, or are you just a bit infatuated?"

The Doctor, not even knowing the difference, pulled the face of a Judoon trying to solve the Skasis Paradigm.

"Well?" pushed Vastra. "Do you feel hopelessly happy when she's around?"

"A little bit", the Doctor mumbled.

"Would you rather be travelling with anyone else?"

"Not really".

"Well if you feel like that tomorrow… whenever tomorrow is in that time thingy of yours, and you can say it without sounding so grumpy, you're in love", Jenny concluded. "Good luck!"

The Doctor scoffed a little, but he couldn't be mad at his friends - he knew they meant the best. "Well, thanks for trying", he nodded, waving to both the lovers on the sofa and the soldier in the corner. "See you when I see you".

Back in the TARDIS, he worked the console to set his ship, much like his mind, adrift in space. "_Good luck_", he thought to himself. "_Like love is a prize, the light at the end. Hah! Hmm. If I feel like that tomorrow, she said. Tomorrow_…"

As he mused to himself, a most pleasant sound filled the console room. Clara was awake, and was singing aloud with that lyrical voice of hers. The Doctor sighed. Today was going to be a long day.

_-Next Chapter: Submission-_


	4. Chapter Four: Submission

**Chapter Four: Submission**

Clara sat happily reading a copy of 'Great Expectations' that she had stumbled upon in the vast TARDIS library – a shining piece of Victorian literature, she thought. She hadn't seen the Doctor since she woke up in the… whichever part of the time vortex they were in six hours ago. Although rare, this turn of events wasn't too alarming; some days were just like that. He'd be fixing something deep within the TARDIS, then breaking it again, then fixing it, and so on. It just meant she'd have to give him a bigger smile, a hug, and perhaps some teasing when she next saw him.

The Doctor finished yet another victorious game against Squash Droid 3, and wiped away the healthy sweat he had built up. He had been avoiding Clara all day, still perturbed at the formidable passions he suddenly held for her. His solution was simply to avoid her until they subsided, however long that took. He was no stranger to running away, and of the infinite number of rooms in the TARDIS, Clara could only be in one at a time. Going the day without seeing her may have 'sucked', as she might say, but he knew it was for the best.

Clara's reading was interrupted by a soft growling from her stomach telling her it was time to get lunch. In the absence of the Doctor taking her to some wonderful alien restaurant or market, she would have to make do with whatever was in the TARDIS kitchen. Perhaps she'd try her hand at a soufflé – she was determined to get one right ever since the doughy black hole she produced last time. Of course, she'd have to find the kitchen first.

The Doctor, having nothing left to prove to any sporting robot, carefully plotted the route to his next activity. Clara was usually in the library around this time, so the route to, say, the TARDIS gymnasium should be safe. He could even take the shortcut past the kitchen and grab some carrot juice on the way, since he now had the eyes and ears to handle it.

Feeling good about his healthy day, the Doctor afforded himself a casual whistle from the closing of the squash court doors to the moment his mug began to fill with carrot juice. It would prove to be rash action on his part when he felt a particular tap on his shoulder. It was a tap so gentle, so pleasant that it made the Doctor turn around in a heartbeat, his meticulous avoidance of the woman over the last six hours be damned.

"Hi!"

Clara greeted her best friend with a smile that was, as per procedure, bigger and lovelier than those she usually offered. She didn't bother to question the Doctor's wide eyes and expression that looked like he'd seen a ghost, simply giggling at the sight. She raised her arms to give him an 'I missed you' hug, but instead found herself falling into one, the Time Lord's hearts perfectly willing to embrace Clara while his head begged them to stop.

"Bit keen", Clara noted, only pulling away when she could muster a straight face. "Where've you been? You been fixing the swimming pool again? Is that why you're so wet?" she asked in reference to the little patches of sweat leftover from the Doctor's squash game.

After wiping his forehead aimlessly, the Doctor, falling back on his number one rule, lied. "Yes! I was at the pool. You know the pool, keeps breaking; I think it's a little rusty. What are you doing?"

"I was looking for soufflé stuff".

The Doctor made a bit of a face, the mention of the dessert reminding him of the Clara's he had lost. "What do you want soufflé stuff for?"

Clara tilted her head, wearing an amused expression. "So I could make a soufflé, weirdly enough…"

Chugging the reminder of his carrot juice, the Doctor resolved to remove both himself and Clara from the kitchen at once, his overprotective side conditioned to fear the notion of soufflés. "Nah! Soufflés are boring, wouldn't you rather we go somewhere awesome?"

Clara barely had time to reply before the Doctor took her by the hand and led her from the kitchen, escorting her to the console room in what seemed like a flash. "Somewhere awesome occurred to me", she told him with mock irritation, leaning on whatever controls he wasn't using, "but it would seem my driver was busy doing lengths".

Initially, the Doctor shook off her comments with a small grin, but he quickly had an idea that made him stop whatever he was doing and look Clara excitedly in the face. "Oh yeah? How would you like to drive?" He bounded over to a particular panel and turned his screwdriver on one of the buttons, changing its colour from red to green. "The randomizer's on, we've got a fixed destination somewhere, anywhere, now all we need is to fly there. Your move, Oswald".

The proposition succeeded in slightly melting the smile on Clara's face and furrowing her brow. The Doctor had travelled with many people before her, she knew that, but who among them had been granted the opportunity to pilot his incredible space-time machine? Clara correctly guessed that she was in rare company, and was certainly willing to accept the position.

"Challenge accepted" she grinned, bouncing over to the panel the Doctor had been fiddling with a moment ago. Looking at all the devices up close gave Clara a new appreciation of the difficulty of piloting a TARDIS, but in no way discouraged her. "So, how does this work, am I supposed to guess which one makes us go? I bet half of them just do the radio" she pouted.

The Doctor couldn't help but smile, and delicately lifted Clara's hand to rest on one particular lever, pushing both forward to set the TARDIS in motion. "Space travel is easy, truth be told - any old craft can move through space. Most of this here is for time travel. And for fun!"

With the Doctor's aid, the journey was smooth and unproblematic, the small vibrations at the pilot's feet helping to calm her nerves, but not distracting her from the task for a second. She didn't bother to question the Doctor's limp hand on top of her own, figuring he was just remaining vigilant against potential asteroids or something. She had no idea that the Doctor was off in his own little world while his reason and emotions continued to collide, simply too appreciative of her soft touch to withdraw. Ultimately, neither of the pair heard the familiar TARDIS landing sound, only realizing the journey was over when the lever became unresponsive.

Clara was the first to react, eagerly pestering the Doctor. "Did I do alright? That felt alright! I didn't make any black holes or anything, did I? Did I?!"

The Doctor was the one to make the move towards the TARDIS doors. "No black holes, no minors, although frankly you could do with less shaking", he teased. "Okay! Let's meet somewhere awes…"

The enthusiasm all but left the Doctor when he saw the world on the outside of the doors. The sky was grey, the area surrounded with derelict urban structures – they had landed back on Earth, and not a particularly awesome corner of Earth at all. Anywhere in the universe, the randomiser promised, and the two had landed in quite possibly, at least as far as Clara was concerned, the most boring place of all.

Clara saw clearly the disappointed expression on the Doctor's face as he closed the door and doubled back towards the console. "Something up?" she asked, gliding over to make eye contact with him.

"We're on Earth", he revealed sadly. "I promised you something awesome, and we've landed on some nameless rundown part of London. I bet it's a Tuesday afternoon too! About as far from a Saturday as you can get…"

Taking the development in stride, Clara took it upon herself to lift the spirits of the deflated Doctor, touched that after all the time they had spent together, he was still this keen to impress her. "Cheer up, chin" she told him, grabbing his chin affectionately. "You're all the awesome I need". With a smile even bigger than the bigger-than-usual variety, she reached up and gave him a peck on the cheek, then turned and dashed off to find her jacket.

The Doctor stood frozen in the middle of the console room, his hearts overwhelmed with emotion, his eyes starting to water. Clara meant it – she didn't really mind where they were in time and space, as long as they were together. She truly cared for him – silly old lonely him. Perhaps, somewhere, she even loved him. And he loved her. He couldn't deny it any longer. He couldn't stand in the way of his own happiness. Here, once again, the Doctor found himself giving in to Clara Oswald. The impossible woman indeed.

He found himself longing to follow Clara into the TARDIS and tell her at once how he felt, but the Doctor happened to glance at the console first, and noticed an error of his. He examined the panel he had tampered with earlier to turn on the randomiser. As it turned out, he hadn't. He had turned on the brakes by mistake, hence the lack of noticeable landing noise. But he hadn't punched in any coordinates for a destination either.

The coordinates weren't randomised, and they weren't chosen by the Doctor. That could mean only one thing – the TARDIS had chosen them herself. The TARDIS wanted to take the Doctor and Clara right here, right now.

_-Next Chapter: The Neglected-_


	5. Chapter Five: The Neglected

**Chapter Five: The Neglected**

Pacing in a slow yet firm manner, the Doctor contemplated the implications of what he had just found on the console. It was rare for him to be unhappy with his companion of nearly a millennium, but the look on his face was one of unmistakeable disapproval. The TARDIS was definitely in control of their destination, so she was definitely the one who chose, out of every world in the big wide universe, to land in this less than impressive corner of Earth. It slowly occurred to the Doctor perhaps Clara wasn't imagining things when she claimed the ship didn't like her.

But the next troubling thought occurred to him much quicker. Both the Doctor and the TARDIS had been from one side of the universe to the next - they had seen worlds where it never stopped raining, and had visited eras where the only type of lunch date involved splitting a dead animal's carcass in half. If the TARDIS did intend on sabotaging him and Clara, there were easily more appropriate places to take them. Why here, and why now?

The Doctor first tuned the TARDIS monitor into the surrounding area to get a closer look at what was outside, the image that came up both pleasing and unnerving him. After shooting the console with a look of bewilderment, the Doctor walked slowly and cautiously to the doors, as if he were under attack. Dr. Martha Jones was the first to greet him on the other side, offering him the polite hug of old friends' reunited. Mickey Smith, who took longer to wrap his head around the Doctor's change in appearance, followed up with the standard fist bump.

"Blimey, you look different!" Martha started semi-awkwardly, clearly taken aback by the chance encounter. "I thought you sounded it on the phone, during the Goruda thing..."

The Doctor's smile alternated between nervous and genuine as he cut Martha off. "Yeah, that's me, but some things never change, eh? Look at you! Jones and Smith, Smith and Jones, great to see you! But um, what are you doing here in this neck of… wherever we are?"

"We're hunting a rouge Zocci" Mickey explained, pulling out a bag of Jelly Beans from his pocket. "With bait and everything. Freelance alien fighting isn't what it used to be..."

Martha lightly slapped her man on the wrist in an attempt to cheer him up. "Oi, no getting sulky because you can't carry a big gun" she teased. "Anyway, that's our afternoon, what brings you here Doctor?"

"Oh y'know, accident, as per" the Doctor lamented, gesturing to the TARDIS. "Tried to get to some extravagant, faraway planet, so this one thought it would be funny to take Clara and me to the slums!"

"_And to you two_", the Doctor thought to himself. But what for? Were they in trouble? Was this Zocci packing any advanced nuclear weaponry? He had to find out. "Oh well, how are you two doing with all the married… ness and everything?" he pressed.

"Couldn't be better, yeah. In fact, we're expecting", Mickey revealed, unabashedly wrapping one arm around his wife.

The Doctor, prepared for the worst news, became wide-eyed with both excitement and relief and briefly fixed his eyes on Martha's stomach. "Hey, fancy that, Mickey the Idiot's gonna be a dad! Oh, congratulations, that's proper good! Everything _is_ good then, is it?"

"Yeah, it's really very good" confirmed a beaming Martha. "How's things with you and… Clara, was it?"

"Oh, they're really very good too!" The Doctor had accepted this fact enough to grin and blush awkwardly at the very mention of Clara, sort of how an eight year old boy might in the presence of a hot babysitter. "You'd like Clara I think, I like her a lot. In fact, I actually sort of love her".

The two former companions, hearing the Doctor's words and watching his expression, shared a baffled look with each other. They knew intimately how big a deal this was and, curious as they were, they didn't quite know where to start asking.

Mickey thought he'd start by getting the first clarification out of the way. "You do mean the same thing as humans when you say love, right boss?"

"Course!" the Doctor quickly replied. "Love means the same thing throughout the universe, and honestly, Clara's reminded me it's the best thing there is".

"Aww, that's so sweet Doctor, good on ya!" exclaimed Martha, who had recovered from the shock enough to sound sincere. "Does she feel like that with you?"

"Oh, yes, probably. I mean, I hope so. I mean, I've not brought it up, but she's nice and she flirts and she's, well, really quite amazing..." the Doctor trailed off, revelling in the mental image of Clara's flirty moments, able to appreciate them so much more now that they were desireable.

"Oh, right…" Martha responded gently. "So you've not actually said anything?"

"Not yet. But soon! Perhaps when the TARDIS takes us somewhere more texting and scones-y". Satisfied enough that he wasn't needed here and now, and impatient to see Clara's lovely face again, the Doctor backed away towards his ship as he spoke. "Anyway, best get back out there. Great to see you two, good luck with the Zocci- oh, and give my love to the baby when it happens, won't you?"

Martha's face remained concerned in spite of the Doctor's clear enthusiasm. She remembered all too well how uninitiated the Doctor was with the trials of love, and in that moment, while part of her wanted to let the Doctor fly away back into time and space with the woman he adored, a larger part of her felt obligated to point out that love wasn't a guarantee of happiness.

She caved just as he was about to step into his TARDIS. "Doctor? Be careful, okay?"

The Doctor turned in the doorway to face Martha, his grin faded and interest piqued. "Careful? Careful of what?"

"Of Clara, I mean" she continued, starting to feel more awkward by the second. "Of being in love. It's a complicated thing, y'know?"

The bemused Doctor leaned intrigued against the doorway of his box. "You think she'll reject me?"

"No!" Martha quickly clarified. "I'm not saying that, I don't know her, I'm just saying it doesn't work out for everyone. Remember what happened with you and me?"

"And you and Rose", Mickey somewhat begrudgingly chipped in.

The Doctor stared blankly at the couple for a moment, as if a great, uncomfortable truth was dawning on him. Without saying another word, he gave them a polite smile and a nod, then took a step backwards and closed the TARDIS door. The moment he was no longer in view, his warm smile turned into a piercing scowl, and after ensuring that Clara wasn't in the room, he turned it on the guilty TARDIS console.

"I suppose you thought that was clever, did you?" he started, trying exceedingly hard not raise his voice. "Reminding me of my failures to put me off Clara- very… very clever. Except it won't work. You need to get over whatever problem you have with her, and you need to get it through your matrix that I won't fail at this- I can't. For once, I couldn't care less what you think, because I have never been this sure about anything in my life! That mad, impossible Clara is the woman who brought me back from the pits of retirement, and she's the woman who makes endlessly wandering the universe mean something, and she's the woman I _love_!"

It took a few moments for the Doctor to recover from his tirade, the first time he had ever hit the TARDIS with such a raw, genuine outburst. He hung his head over the console as he contemplated how far his feelings for Clara had taken him, how passionately he was willing to defend their future together. And then, speak of the angel; she glided into the console room, having thoroughly given up the search for her jacket.

"Doctor?" She peered curiously at him hunching over the TARDIS console. "I heard shouting, are you alright? Were you having another episo-"

Clara's questioning was rudely interrupted by the magnificent shaking of the room and the roaring noise of the functioning TARDIS engines. The Doctor, having touched nothing, was flung to the ground alongside Clara as the craft made its newest and most unexpected journey through time and space.

_-Next Chapter: The Court of Confession- _


	6. Chapter Six: The Court of Confession

**Chapter Six: The Court of Confession**

The journey was violent and rocky even by the TARDIS' standards - perhaps this was because she was making it of her own free will, perhaps it was because she was making it begrudgingly. Whatever the case, she made the Doctor and Clara bounce around violently the console room until she finally had to land. The Doctor, knowing that the TARDIS had hardly ever in a thousand years of space-time travel took off on her own accord, was entirely too cautious in approaching the controls. Clara, in contrast, was perturbed and brazen enough to loudly demand explanations.

"What's the grumpy cow done to us this time?!" she complained. "I'm sure you didn't tou-"

"I didn't touch anything!" noted the panicking Doctor. "Not a button was pulled! Not a switch was pressed! Oh, I don't know what I'm saying; I'm very worried about it all…"

The sight of the Doctor in genuine distress, as always, melted Clara's heart. She couldn't remain mad at the machine so long as the man needed her by his side, and she confirmed this to herself by pulling the Doctor close.

"Doctor, its fine", she informed him, half-serious and half-amused. "It was just a regular flight, except not arranged and a tiny bit more bumpy… but I'd still bet we're regular space, and in regular time. There's really no point in fretting so".

The Doctor was, once again, forced to admit she was correct. "You're right, Clara. You're almost usually right, I love… that about you. Okay Miss Right, do you want to open the doors?" The Doctor motioned towards the doors, using a face that could only mean 'I dare you'. His Clara was a sucker for that face, and he knew it.

Clara glided towards the TARDIS doors and, without trepidation, pushed them open. She and the Doctor, who couldn't wait to join her, were both equally pleased at the familiar sight on the other side. They recognised at once that the building before them - looking as pristine as it did all those months ago - housed the café they had visited during the Wi-Fi crisis that happened during Clara's first meeting with the Doctor, and the Doctor's third meeting with Clara.

Clara was the first to show her excitement. "Aww, look at that, our first date!" She wrapped her arms around the Doctor's torso, appreciative of the apparent coincidence. "Not bad at all, Doctor", she told him with a beaming face.

"Don't thank me…" the Doctor mused as Clara skipped off towards the café. He stroked the door of his TARDIS, knowing that they hadn't landed there by accident, and that she had given him her blessing to be with Clara. As usual, he didn't care that members of the public were watching him be intimate with a box, for even though the Doctor and the TARDIS had been travelling together for a thousand years, they both still relished in special moments like this.

The moment concluded, the Doctor made haste to the café to find a giggling Clara already sat at 'their' table with two coffees. "Finished?" she asked pryingly, having seen enough of the love fest below to mock it. "That one had to be some sort of record, she must have done something good", she commented, taking her first sip of coffee and speculating on how it felt to be on the TARDIS's good side.

"Yes… she did", the Doctor acknowledged, slowly taking his seat.

It was a struggle for him to maintain a calm exterior, given what he now realised he felt for Clara. Given what he now had to tell Clara. There was no denying it – this was foreign territory for the old man. Not the kind of foreign territory that he would find scattered throughout the universe and dash into without a second thought, no – this was far more dangerous. He had no idea how to proceed, and the pressure was so great that he almost didn't _want_ to proceed. He absolutely had to get this right, he knew that much. One wrong word, and who kno-

"Blimey, is that Kate Middleton?" Clara exclaimed, braking the Doctor out of his trance as she kept a keen eye on the the café's TV. "She's very… along. So I take it this is July, yeah?" She allowed a victory grin to grow on her face. "I'm getting good at deducing, aren't I?" she proposed to the Doctor, falling into eye contact with him.

When the typical 'interesting' fact(s) about this month in history failed to escape his lips, she secretly grew worried. "What's up with you?" she pressed, only allowing her smile to shift a little. "You're being quiet, you're never quiet. Spill".

Put on the spot, it took the Doctor a split-second to fall back on instinct and decide that lying was the best course of action. He was a semi-pro at lying, and if he really focused, he was sure he could even lie to Clara. He clumsily cleared his throat and lumbered into eye contact. "What? Nothing's up. It's all down. That is to say that nothing's up, or more literally that nothing is wrong. So-so in conclusion, everything is alright… with me… now. How are you?"

Clara burst into fits of laughter. She shouldn't have really – it was clear something most certainly was up – but she never tired of seeing the Doctor all flustered, and this occasion was easily among the most amusing. "Well", she started, calming down, "I count five lies and one really horrible subject-change. Come on, Doctor, tell me what's going on in that funny old head of yours".

It was no use. Clara wasn't gullible, and he had to let his feelings out soon, so it might as well be there in the café. But then again, he didn't have to leap headfirst into this brave new world. Right there, on the comfortable site of their first date, the Doctor could win over his Clara at a pace that suited him. After all, hadn't he deserved that much after such a long, lonely life?

"Nothing gets past you", the Doctor noted, a wide smile escaping from his mind to his lips. "Okay. I'll tell you what I'm thinking, but this won't be easy for me to talk about, alright?"

Clara deployed the 'care face' and took one of the Doctor's hands with her own. "Safe space, Doctor", she assured him. "Now tell me, what on earth could make it hard for you to talk?"

The Doctor opened his mouth to speak, but it took a few moments and some involuntary twitching for any sounds to come out. The words to explain himself, of course, did not come easy. "Have you ever been, sort of… rather quite fond of someone, but you've never really been that fond of anyone before, so you don't know how to gauge the… fondness?"

Clara very nearly spat her coffee all over that ample chin. "No… what? Are you trying to tell me you have feelings for someone? Like, people feelings? Emotion-y feelings?

Impressed that Clara reached the right conclusion so quickly, but a little disturbed by her utter disbelief, the Doctor simply nodded. "That's about the length of it. And you're right, this is very much new to me-"

"I didn't say that" Clara interjected, possibly trying to atone for her reaction. She shouldn't have been so surprised; the Doctor had a heart – two, in fact – and was therefore perfectly capable of emotion. It was good that he had finally come to realise that. Brilliant, even.

"Anyway…" he continued "the point is that, for once, I have no idea what I'm doing, not even a little bit. So… I need help. And I can think of none finer". The Doctor beamed at his impossible girl as he mulled over his words. Indeed, who better to tell him how to court Clara than Clara herself? Oh yes, he was good sometimes.

Clara grinned widely at the compliment, and took her hands away from the Doctors, folding her arms. "So you want me to tell you how to… what? Tell someone that you're into them?"

The Doctor hesitated for a moment before his next reply. "Almost. I want you to tell me how to tell someone, well… that I think I love them."

Clara's eyes expanded like two shining, hazel-tinted new-born planets, signalling that the magnitude of the conversation had just fully hit her. However, she didn't reveal this to the Doctor, partly because she didn't want to unnerve him, and partly because she never, ever missed an opportunity to tease him.

"Okay, so you want me to tell you how to tell someone you love them?"

"Yes!" the Doctor confirmed excitedly.

"So I know something that the brilliant Lord of Time doesn't?"

"Yes…" the Doctor confirmed begrudgingly.

"So I'm the boss?"

"…mm" the Doctor mumbled.

Clara let a small, slightly nervous laugh escape her lips as she considered the responsibility facing her. She was about to give relationship advice to an ancient alien who hadn't needed any for god knows how long. But then again, the Doctor wasn't just an alien being; he was her friend - her best friend. She could be honest with him, and he with her. This didn't have to be an impossible task at all.

"Oh gosh, I don't know…" she started cautiously. "If you've really never done it before, just do it, y'know, slowly. Naturally. From the hearts".

The Doctor looked somewhat bamboozled at the prospect, although he wasn't quite sure why. "Oh you mean…" he began tentatively. "You mean… don't lie?"

"Don't lie!" she repeated, feeling a bit as if she was teaching love to one of the Maitland children. "That's a stupid rule anyway. Trust me, I'm sure she'll appreciate the honesty… or he… or it. Who is this lucky person, anyway?" Clara was surprised it took her this long to ask, but now she was all the more curious. Who exactly had performed the greatest trick in history by stealing the Doctor's hearts? Who was even capable of such a thing?

"That's not really the point, Clara…" The Doctor, having gathered enough information for now, used all the body language at his disposal to try to indicate that this discussion had reached a conclusion. He wasn't ready to let Clara know she was the one just yet.

"Oh Doctor, you have to tell me!" she protested. "I promise I won't judge, like, at all. I bet they're properly brilliant anyway, whoever they are".

Realistically, the Doctor didn't know how long he could stall Clara for. Perhaps she'd drop it, and he would get to talk to her in the comfort of the TARDIS on a day of his choosing, or maybe he'd be too scared to ever mention it again. Those were some of many possible futures, but ultimately, they were futures that would never come to pass. For one over-enthused waiter was about to ask the faithful companions a question that would change their lives forever…

"Everything okay for you two sweethearts?"

Clara answered him with a tone that was more amusement than anything. "Oh, no!" she refuted cheerfully. "No, we're not a cou-"

But then, mid-sentence, she connected the dots. How could the Doctor fall in love with someone when they never stayed in one place long enough? Why would he be willing to tell her what he was feeling, but not who he was feeling for? And why was he now staring at her with a look that could only be described as horror mixed with desire? She turned her attention back to the Doctor, her face flushed and her eyes pointed. When she finally came to speak, it ended up being little more than a whisper.

"Doctor. Who are you in love with?"

_-Next Chapter: The Impasse- _


	7. Chapter Seven: The Impasse

**Chapter Seven: The Impasse**

The unprecedented awkwardness of the moment lingered for far too long. The Doctor's mouth gaped as his mind searched not for an answer to Clara's question – the answer was all too obvious to both of them – but rather for words that would diffuse the tension. Clara hadn't moved a muscle since asking if she was the object of his affections. Her bewildered expression gave no indication of joy, rage, or anything in-between. All it did was beg for an explanation.

"Okay", the Doctor began, taking a deep breath. "I should have menti-

"Yeah, you really should have" Clara opined bluntly to whatever the statement would have been. She composed herself, brushing her hair out of her face and clearing her throat. Not only was this was going to be a long and difficult discussion, but Clara didn't even know what shape it was going to take. She genuinely didn't know whether she, right there and now, was going to break the Doctor's hearts or return his apparent love. That's what was surely going to make the exchange difficult.

"Right" she said at last, staring at the Doctor's coffee until she knew what to say to his face. "Just to be sure, this isn't some sort of weird outer space practical joke, is it? You really are telling me that you, of all people, have decided that you're in love… with me of all people? Of all the billions and billions-"

The Doctor raised a hand in silent protest. "No, don't- don't even say it. You're not just one random life out of a billion that happened to stumble across me and get a chance to see the universe, you are so much more. You're Clara Oswald! I've had so many travel with me, but the things I feel for you… it wasn't easy to admit it, but I haven't felt anything even close for centuries. I don't think anyone else could have ever pulled it off. I'm sorry if it makes you mad or anything, Clara, but I love you, I really do. Now that I've found you, and now that we're running together, I can't imagine spending one day without you".

Clara could do nothing but stare in disbelief as the Doctor vehemently justified his passion for her. Coming from another human being, the words would probably sound over the top or weird, but this was the Doctor. This was the wisest and loneliest man in the universe trying to convince her she was worth his love. Why on earth he thought it didn't matter, it was his genuine conviction. In a way, that was more incredible than Akhaten, more surreal than seeing the dawn of time, more breath-taking than taking a leap of faith into a wide, empty chasm. It was even enough to make Clara well up a little.

"Doctor…" Her voice was shaky, and she had to wipe her eyes and sniffle before attempting to talk again. "Doctor… that's beautiful. Really, you're so… I'm so flattered that you think that, though I can't begin to think why-"

The Doctor jumped in almost automatically. "How couldn't I? You're caring, you're brave, you're bright as a button, you love travelling as much as me-"

Clara's modest eyes widened. "Okay, I get it Doctor; you're going to make me blush…"

"-plus you're… well, kind of a little bit gorgeous, I guess…"

"And there it is!" A blushing Clara slapped a blushing Doctor on the hand in mock anger, and then reconfigured to continue the serious conversation. "Do you really mean all of that?"

"Of course I do. Cross my hearts! You're special for all those reasons, plus a load more that you… we haven't discovered yet", the Doctor summarised, only thinly alluding to the mystery of Clara's multiple lives, which was such a minor detail of their relationship by now.

The smile on Clara's lips rose and fell as she struggled with her own feelings, her head desperately trying to make sense of them. "I don't know what to say, I really don't", she confessed. "I mean… this is massive! This changes us completely, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, but it changes us for the better… right?"

Clara, having now reached a conclusion, was silent.

The Doctor's face fell, but his gaze remained fixed. "Clara? Isn't this a good thing?"

"Doctor…" Clara started carefully with a quiet voice, "it's not that I don't think you're… I mean, you're so nice, you're funny, you're a genius, you obviously care about me a ton, and I'm not saying I don't think you're bloody brilliant, but…"

"But what?" Concern for the feelings of both parties was written all over the Doctor's face as he took Clara's hand. "Tell me."

Clara allowed her hand to be scooped into the Doctor's, somehow finding it a source of great comfort. "It's just… I've never ever told anyone I love them before, y'know, in that way. And I doubt I'll ever say it to anyone else after you, but you just have to let me…" Clara trailed off, unable to finish her sentence but having hopefully made her point adequately.

The Doctor was left confused and a touch impatient. "Let you what?" he asked, his inexperience in these affairs taking over. "It doesn't matter that you've never said… that before, does it? Just think how long it's been since I said it…"

"I know, and I know it was way harder for you to say, I do, but all the same… once you say it – once _I_ say it – it's like its set in stone. No takesies backsies. I just don't know if I'm ready for that yet…" Clara squeezed the Doctor's hand apologetically.

"Sure you can", the Doctor implored her. "If you really feel it, then logically you can say it, can't you?"

Clara sadly shook her head while keeping eye contact. "I want to, but I can't right now".

"Because you don't want to?"

"No! Doctor, please don't be difficult…"

"I'm not being difficult, I told you exactly what I felt – I'm being easy!" The Doctor rubbed his eyes with his spare hand. "Oh, I'm sorry. I know it's a lot of pressure, and for once, I don't-"

"You don't know what to do" finished the sympathetic Clara. "It's okay; I'm hardly an expert myself…"

The Doctor gave a small nod to indicate his understanding of this, and took a deep breath. "So, you don't feel comfortable telling me that you lo-"

"Not right now, no", verified Clara, almost afraid to hear him say it.

The Time Lord sighed with begrudging acceptance. "Okay. I guess we'll… well, we'll just…. just pretend this never…"

Clara cut the Doctor's stuttering off as soon as a certain idea crossed her mind. An idea that, with a little luck, would make the tension of the situation all but dissipate. An idea that, in some ways, seemed like the most reasonable way to proceed. A fascinating idea that, being honest with herself, had crossed her mind a couple of times before while thinking of the Doctor.

"Actually Doctor, d'you know what I wanna do right now?" she asked him.

The Doctor's interest was re-piqued. "What's that?" he asked curiously.

"Honestly?"

"Yeah…"

Clara gave him an adorably cheeky, but adequately serious grin. "I want to get you back in that snog box".

The Doctor's eyes widened, his cheeks reddened, and his arms flailed. He was so focused on his emotional attachment to Clara that he had barely even considered the physical side of their relationship, if at all. It was an area in which he was even more inexperienced, even more inept, and even more uncomfortable. His gaze, which had wandered all over the place for a moment or two, slowly came to rest back on Clara.

"It's not a snog box" he finally reminded her, cocking an eyebrow.

Clara rolled her eyes. "Oh Doctor, even you can't be so clueless! You know this is as big a part of being a couple as all the lovely love-y stuff, yeah? And besides, didn't I hear you say that I'm 'kind of a little bit gorgeous'?" She tilted her head proudly, ever so slightly teasing the flustered Doctor.

He gawked a little and bit his lower lip, picturing the type of lusty relationship they could potentially have, but the Doctor still found himself unable to consent. "I'm sorry Clara, I don't… I mean, it took a long time just for me to accept how I feel about you, and I-I can't rush into all the… you know…" The Doctor made kiss-y gestures to cap off his defence, his words quickly failing him.

"I see!" Clara responded, more chirpily than expected. "So you're saying that you don't necessarily object to all the intimate stuff, but you're not comfortable going there right now?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying! Glad you understand!" the Doctor smiled, happy that Clara could be so reasonable.

"Oh, I understand alright", she smiled back with a hint of deviousness. "And you now understand why I can't tell you a certain something straight away, right?"

The Doctor made a face of a duped child. "Well, it's still not quite the same thing, is it? Sharing your feelings is always simple, but the way you lot like to kiss and… other things… it boggles the mind."

Clara gave a small laugh of both amusement and exasperation. "Wrong, chin - it's the making out and the 'other things' that lets you ease into a relationship. There's no mad rush to shout out your love right at the start, you know".

The Doctor didn't argue back, but frowned a little and folded his arms. "This isn't much fun at all, is it?"

"It could be!" Clara maintained, furrowing her eyebrows as the eyes underneath stared into the Doctor's. "All's you have to do is take me downstairs and show me how much you, ahem, love me", she said with a wink.

The Doctor was admittedly tempted, but still ultimately felt too uncomfortable. "Not until you tell me you love me", he said with as much authority as he could muster.

Clara thought for a moment, and gave the Doctor a game look. "Deal!"

"Hm? What's a deal?"

"Friendly wager. You're the most amazing bloke in the universe, but you're still a bloke, and I'm confident you'll be ready to snog me before I'm ready to say… hm hmmm hmm". Clara sealed the deal by using the Doctor's own 'I dare you' face against him.

The confused Doctor attempted a summary of Clara's proposition. "So instead of being supportive and helping each other to overcome our issues, we're supposed to make this like a power play?"

"Mhm. It's called relationships, dear" Clara smiled, amusing herself.

"Well I'm sorry, but it sounds unhealthy, nonsensical and just plain exciting", the Doctor frowned.

"So you're in?" Clara prodded, outstretching her hand.

The Doctor flashed a competitive smile. "In to win, Oswald".

With those words, the bet was on. The two soon-to-be lovers two shook hands, and despite the air of competition that now existed between them, neither let go until they reached the TARDIS.

_-Next Chapter: Love and the Doctor- _


	8. Chapter Eight: Love and the Doctor

**Chapter Eight: Love and the Doctor**

Clara woke up the next morning in a state of terror, writhing and panting as she scrambled to pull the covers over herself. Coming to her senses, she felt a tear or two run down her kind-of-a-little-bit-gorgeous face, and sighed. It was a nightmare that had shaken her so – _the_ nightmare. The most terrible events she could imagine pieced together and intruding in her dreams, for what she wished she could say was the first time. As she sat up in bed and softly rubbed her head, a minor epiphany struck her. Perhaps that was why-

"WOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" SMASH!

Clara almost jumped out of her skin upon hearing the chaotic noises, but couldn't help but giggle at the Gallifreyan curses that followed. Her mind cast back to the previous day, which had seen the Doctor, incredibly, confess his apparent love for her. Surreal as that moment was, Clara knew it wasn't part of her dreams, and she smiled as she remembered how honoured and special he made her, of all people, feel. What she had just heard from beyond her bedroom doors, though, was a mystery.

The most pleasant solution to said mystery soon revealed itself as the Doctor, apron-clad, burst through the door carrying a full tray containing one delicately prepared breakfast. She stared in astonishment at the appealing, yet obviously alien dishes the Doctor had chosen; no doubt because he thought they looked cool. Yes, he might be a bit hit and miss with his culinary selections, but this – actually bringing her breakfast in bed – was so beautifully thoughtful that Clara thought she was going to overflow with happy tears.

"I am SO sorry about this" the chef bemoaned as he carefully placed the tray onto Clara's lap. "There were a couple of really _cool_ scones on there, but they, uh… had an accident. A very messy, completely unavoidable accident. But the rest of it is basically okay, hopefully." The uneasy Doctor gave a thumbs up to distract from his nervous expression, and waited for validation that his gesture fell within the parameters of romance as Clara understood it.

His impossible girl, struggling to conceal her delight, placed the tray to one side. She cleared her throat, folded her arms, and put on the sternest expression she could muster. "No scones?" she remarked in her upper-class 'secret' voice. "I can't be expected to enjoy this breakfast without scones, can I?"

The Doctor stuttered, looking as if he may start openly weeping, at which point Clara burst into fits of giggling. "I'm joking, dummy!" she revealed happily. She leapt out of bed and flung herself at the Doctor, her feet kicking off the floor as he caught her small frame. "Thank you Doctor, you're just the sweetest man…"

"Nothing's too sweet for my Clara!" the Doctor firmly retorted, laying a friendly finger on her funny nose. "Now eat up, I've got an even better surprise when you're finished!"

One of Clara's eyebrows immediately soared. "That _would _be better, but aren't I supposed to wait half an hour?" She pouted mockingly as if waiting for the 'surprise' she had in mind was simply unacceptable.

The Doctor gasped, then tried to frown but ended up gasping again. "Noooo, not tha- no. Better! Picture the betterest thing you could think of… okay? Got it? It's better than _that_!"

"Okay okay, I get it!" Clara giggled as she watched the Doctor glide around the room. "Well, I look forward to the best thing ever, but my breakfast is getting cold and I'm in my nightie. Think you can wait for me?"

The Doctor gave a small, affirming salute as he glided out of the room, but had to give Clara's question deeper consideration. Although he adored her, he wasn't sure how long he could wait for Clara to officially return his love. He wasn't too patient a man, and he was certainly more used to people waiting for him than the opposite. And although she was clearly exceedingly fond of him, he wasn't going to rest easy until he heard the final proof. There was simply too much on the line.

Even upon finishing breakfast, Clara was still in a state of mild disbelief at the Doctor's kind and wonderful gesture, and couldn't begin to anticipate what was still to come. Was this the kind of treatment she could expect now that she was the undisputed object of his affections? She spurned the thought of becoming spoilt – although the feeling of being this special to him was enchanting, she would hate for him to think he had to impress her day after day. He could do that just… by being him.

She quickly sought an outfit that was prettier than her average, regardless of whether or not it was well-suited for madcap adventures on foreign worlds. If the Doctor was trying so hard to make her happy, the least she could do is return the favour. Finding an ideal dress, she eagerly slipped into it and dolled herself up a little – just a little. Just enough to let him know she was making an effort. Provided he was capable of picking up on such signals of course.

Clara's efforts didn't go unnoticed, but that may not have been for the best after all, as she was met with an awkward, slightly creepy 'okay' sign and the worst wolf whistle in the universe upon entering the console room. "Yowza! That's a belter!" proclaimed the whistler. "Another win for Oswin!"

Clara cupped her hands over her reddening face. "Quiet, you, or I'll need to find some way of keeping your lips busy" she threatened. She bounded over to the console and cast a marvellously bright look at the Doctor. "So, what's this great surprise I've heard about? I am dressed right, right?"

The Doctor couldn't help but grin back at her. "You are dressed perfectly", he confirmed. He took Clara by her hand and pulled her over to the TARDIS doors, at a pace that suggested that the three seconds it took to reach the doors was far too long to wait. "Have you ever wondered what seventeen galaxies in perfect unison looks like? Have you? On the other side of these doors, Clara Oswald, is the most beautiful thing you or I will ever see. It took some impressively mad tampering with time on my part, and I'm pretty sure I'm now wanted in four of these galaxies, but I proudly present to you… the Alignment of Exidor".

The Time Lord pushed open the doors and unveiled one of the most beautiful sights known to the universe. Clara's eyes couldn't open nearly wide enough to fully embrace the majesty before her. Vast swathes of space were taken over by streams of shining colours, complimenting the brightness of the twinkling galaxies. The celestial bodies merged and grew apart again, flirting to the sheer awe of the amazed onlookers. Everything Clara knew of physics in space seemed to dissipate, beauty replacing impossibility at every turn. As she looked around the outside of the TARDIS, she saw a great number of neighbouring spaceships, each one containing occupants who were equally inspired, and felt equally privileged.

Clara herself sunk to the floor, dangling her legs off the edge of the TARDIS entrance, not daring to take her eyes off the once-in-a-lifetime event before her. "Doctor…" she squeaked, ever so lighting tugging on his coat as a prompt to join her.

He smiled and took a spot next to her, drawing parallels to their first trip to Akhaten all that time ago. How far they had come. "I know".

"Doctor, it's… wow. I could say wow a billion times over, it wouldn't be enough". Clara slowly turned her head to face the Doctor – her beautiful Doctor. She brought her arms up and wrapped them dreamily around his neck. "I can't thank you enough".

Having successfully and forever impressed Clara, the Doctor placed one arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, closing the maybe inch or two of distance that existed between them. "It's a heavenly sight, isn't it? A heavenly sight…" The Doctor closed his eyes for a second and drank in the perfection of this moment – he and his Clara enjoying the best the universe had to offer. "So…" he started, turning slightly to face her. "How does it feel to be the second most beautiful thing in the universe, for once?"

The moment Clara registered his comment, she gasped slightly and slapped the Doctor on the arm. "Oh my god, Doctor!" she squealed, laying her sweet, deeply flattered little head on his inviting body. "You'll embarrass me in front of the other couples!"

The Doctor gave a small laugh at first, but unfortunately, the more analytical side of his mind instinctively intervened, picking apart Clara's statement and imagining its significance. "Yeah…" was the first word to leak from his brain out of him, paving the way for his less secure side. "So you're saying we are indeed a couple?"

Clara sat up, again in order to face him. She stared into his eyes for a moment, studying them thoughtfully, and beamed at him. "Yeah. I'd say so, yeah! We're partners".

The incredible, perfect weight of the statement stunned the new couple momentarily until Clara sniggered, having thought up an amusing pun. "Partners in time!"

The Doctor laughed out loud and, in doing so, held Clara tighter, his hand stroking her side. "Geronimo!" he shouted a little too loud, winning him the glare of a couple of aged aliens a couple of spaceships over. "Oh Clara, I love this!" he told her happily but earnestly. "Don't you just love this?"

Clara's mouth began to form a response, but before it could, the Doctor's words resonated in her brain and sparked a revelation. She shuffled back a little so that she might easily stare at him; her demeanour was still cheerful, but the euphoria was gone. "You're trying to win the bet, aren't you Doctor?"

The Doctor stared at Clara vacantly, training his eyes on hers and begging his brow not to furrow. "Hm? What be- ohhh, the bet! The… yesterday… thin- no, no I'm not trying to-"

Still smiling, Clara put a hand up to stop him in his tracks. "Yes, yes that's exactly what you're doing. The romantic breakfast, the romantic sights, your emphasis on the word love just then. Plus you're starting to sweat, that's kind of a giveaway".

The Doctor quickly wiped the alleged sweat from his forehead and opened his mouth to reply, but at first only a sigh came out. "Maybe… maybe that came into it just a little bit". He stared apologetically at Clara and softly led the back of his hand across her cheek. "Oh Clara, I love you so! And I want you to love me too, and I know you'll say it one day, I just wanted to help you get there…"

Clara gave a slight nod before drifting into her own little world. She wasn't mad at the Doctor, for she knew that his intentions, as always, were basically good. She also knew that he didn't need an excuse to lavish all the greatest wonders of the universe upon her. He was simply devoted to her and her to him, and one day she would surely say the three magic words that would cement her devotedness for him. As soon as she got past… well, as soon as she got past-

"Clara?" the Doctor whispered, worried at what thoughts were running around her cute little head. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

Letting a small laugh loose from her lips, Clara pulled the Doctor in for a passionate hug. "Of course not" she breathed, holding him in her adoring arms. "How could I be mad at you?"

The Doctor hugged her back, and then glanced at the view outside the doors. The Alignment of Exidor was beginning to fall apart, the galaxies returning to their lonely trajectories, the miracle coming to a close. "Hey" he nudged, "the alignment, it's breaking up. Last chance to say it" he grinned cheekily but hopefully.

Smiling, Clara leaned closer to the Doctor, soaking in the last seconds of the glorious occasion. "Good try, love". She kissed the Doctor on the cheek, then stood and returned to her room.

_-Next Chapter: Clara Smuts Back- _


End file.
